A new day care and supportive employment program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be created in Arlington Heights after the Village Board gave the green light for a land use variation.
The board voted 7-0 at its Jan. 17 meeting to approve the variation request for the property currently owned by Clearbrook at 1815 W. Central Road. The organization’s headquarters is at the same location and officials there plan to redesign some of the office space to accommodate some of the organization’s higher-functioning participants who need job training and career advancement assistance, according to details of the request.
Don Frick, Clearbrook vice president of operations, told the Village Board that Clearbrook now serves 8,000 individuals in 16 counties and 160 communities and is one of the largest providers of home-based services, day programs and employment services.
More Top Picks Best Coleman Coolers
“Our proposed plan is for a supportive employment program for our highest functioning individuals who are competitively employed in the community,” Frick said, adding many individuals now work at Jewel grocery stores and McDonald’s restaurants but don’t always get the training they need to be successful.
“They would come to our location intermittently to learn additional job skills, to work on career development and work on resumes so they can continue to become more independent,” he said.
He anticipates 10 to 15 individuals will be dropped off daily at the facility to work on employment training with three staff members. The hours of operation will be 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The new space of about 2,500 square feet will be redesigned within the current office space at the Clearbrook Plaza. Clearbrook occupies 78% of the 44,343-square-foot building, which also includes the Arlington Heights Senior Center, Toscana Restaurant, the International Banquets facility and the Paris 2000 Hair Salon, according to village development planner Sam Hubbard. A new loading zone next to the Senior Center will allow for participant drop off and pick up. A new front facade, signage and landscaping are also planned.
Hubbard said a land use variation was necessary for the adult day care facility because of the location’s zoning. A traffic and parking study was waived because the individuals coming to the facility are not driving and, based on the number of participants, he didn’t expect high traffic demand. Both Hubbard and the Plan Commission were supportive of the request.
“I think this is a great opportunity for Clearbrook and the people they serve,” said Trustee John Scaletta, who questioned why the landscape plan wasn’t included with the request.
Village Manager Randy Recklaus said the landscape improvements would be minimal, and based on the village’s long-term relationship with Clearbrook, he was confident something would be worked out.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.